Affandi

Sotheby's Singapore, September 30 2001, Lot 102
Acquired by the Present Owner of the above sale
Private Collection, Indonesia

Affandi Exhibition, Jakarta, Indonesia, 1970

Antiques of the Orient, Oriental Impression, Singapore, 1993, p. 2, colorplate 1
Karen Mazurkewich, Under the Hammer, The Asian Wall Street Journal Weekend Journal, 2001, p. W1 & W6 

The work is in good condition overall, as is the canvas, which is clear and taut. There is minor wear and handling around the edges of the painting due to the basic framing process. Upon close observation, there is evidence of gentle craquelures predominantly on the black impastos (upper right and middle left on the hair) and white paint (upper left), but the paint layers are stable. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals restoration on the middle left register (black hair). Framed.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

“Looking at his works one immediately feels the unity and harmony which pervade them… Their strength comes from the broad gestural brush-stroke, from a kind of duel against the canvas, duel which must consist of rapid movements, now carried out with the brush, now merely with the hand, now – and more often – with the tube itself, in order that the inspiration may not stop even for a short moment, making therefore impossible any correction whatsoever. From him, only the direct and prompt inspiration is bound to grasp and transmit the deep and throbbing emotion.”– Flávio de Aquino

Affandi preferred to call himself a tukang gambar (one who draws), as opposed to a plukis (one who paints). Choosing to “draw” with his bare hands, his artworks have always made a statement with their pictorial script. An emotional painter, Affandi’s works are heartfelt expressions, for he only painted what he observed, and never approached the works from a philosophical or analytical starting point. Instead he focused his attention on discovering and rediscovering new feelings from the same experimental subjects, which ultimately represented his never ending fascination with certain themes.

Throughout his career the artist found solace in self-portraiture, as a way to observe human existence through his own studied paradigms. The earliest works of such nature show the artist experimenting with realism to capture his everyday thoughts and emotions. Affandi’s self-portraits are a documentation of his life as a maturing artist, and reveal the themes that would come to later influence his creative patterns.

Executed in 1968, Self-Portrait is one of the most dynamic works of Affandi’s career. The impastos on the surface form a high level of lyricism, and the canvas is brought to life with a mere five colors: red, green yellow, white and black. Portraying himself as a man with unkempt hair and a penetrating gaze, Affandi perceived his own portraits as visual statements of national pride, and proud declarations of self-identity. His fascination with self-portraiture should not be seen as an obsession though, but rather as a visual meditation of the physical world that he inhabited. Many of the works were accompanied with images of the sun, a symbol the artist believed to best represent himself as a man, for it was the natural source of his energy and wisdom.

Throughout the artist’s oeuvre, the portraiture genre provided Affandi with an endless supply of tools and inspiration, perhaps more so than any other subject within his repertoire. A visual documentation of the artist’s autobiographical persona, Affandi’s self-portraits reflects the artist’s awareness of his self-identity that can be seen from various standpoints. It is within Affandi’s self-portraits, where the audience is able to fully see the artist at his most happiest. Self Portrait vibrant energy is captured through the use of his bold and powerful textures, colors and expressions.

This masterpiece reveals the artist’s gallant passion and confirms his solid understanding about the founding principles of the Modernist movement. Reminiscent of Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portraits, Affandi’s self-titled painting also conveys determination, intelligence and sensitivity, for “[in his portraits the artist ] ponders his existence… [and it] can be argued that at this stage, the issue was less philosophical than psychological…"^1.

Like other masters in the art of self-portraiture, Affandi was driven by an innate desire to establish an artistic legacy. Self Portrait celebrates the power of the mind and the human spirit, and is thus a story of the artist’s life through the reflection of his own self-portrait. 

¹ Sardjana Sumichan, Affandi Volume I, Bina Lestari Budaya Foundation Jakarta and Singapore Art Museum, 2007, p. 72